Patch 4.1 on PTR - Zul'aman and Zul'gurub are back!
Patch 4.1 is hitting the PTRs and is full of surprises!

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker)

That's right, folks. Development on the first major content patch for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is well underway! We're currently making preparations to bring some of the initial content and updates we've been working on for this patch to the Public Test Realms. So you ask, "what will we find in the first 4.1 test client?" (You did ask that, right?) Well, let me tell you!

The Gurubashi Tribe Persists

Originally a 20-player dungeon released in patch 1.7, Zul'Gurub will once again open its gates, featuring updated lore, all-new encounters, achievements, and improved loot! Zul'Gurub is now a level-85 five-player Heroic difficulty dungeon. To provide a new tier above the current Cataclysm dungeons, players can expect to find epic-quality item level 353 loot. The minimum average item level to enter this Heroic dungeon is 346.

The Return of Zul'Aman

Ever a player favorite, the level-70 ten-player dungeon of Zul'Aman is being reintroduced as a level-85 Heroic five-player dungeon. Zul'Aman will join Zul'Gurub in a new Dungeon Finder tier of Heroic dungeons, providing epic-quality item level 353 loot. The minimum average item level to enter this Heroic dungeon is also 346. While Zul'Aman will be more of a throwback to the original dungeon featuring many of the same encounters, players can expect to find some updated gameplay mechanics, as well as new environment textures and lighting.

With the Zuls returning, you may be wondering about the unique mounts that were once contained therein. We're pleased to announce that new versions of the rare raptor, tiger, and bear mounts will be available, while the old versions of these mounts will remain unique to those who already have them. We'll reveal more about how these updated mounts can be obtained in the future.

Class Design
While we do intend to make fewer balance changes in patch 4.1, you can still expect to find a fair number of updates. Below are just a few we'd like to share with you right now. Keep in mind these changes don't encompass the entirety of the 4.1 changes, nor do the initial Public Test Realm patch notes.

To start, we want to do a better job of balancing the AoE power of the different damage-dealing specs. You can expect to see some changes to this end made throughout the testing process.

Inner Rage is now available at level 56. It was intended to solve an excess rage problem that largely isn’t affecting warriors anymore. We’ve added a replacement ability for warriors at level 83: Rallying Cry.

Colossus Smash now ignores 70% of an opponent's armor, down from 100%. We are compensating Fury and Arms warriors by increasing the damage of other attacks.

Word of Glory: We want Retribution and Protection paladins to have reasonable healing on themselves or others, but we know paladins sometimes feel like they can’t use their Holy Power on anything but their heals in some situations. We’d rather these two specs spend most of their Holy Power on damage-dealing abilities, with occasional healing.

More To Come

We're still hard at work on additional features, balance updates, and bug fixes for patch 4.1. We look forward to sharing more information with you in the days and weeks ahead as we release new content on the Public Test Realms. Until then, have a look at the patch notes we've prepared thus far. As always, these notes are not final and will continue to change as we go through the iterative development and testing processes.

Stealth base cooldown has been reduced to 4 seconds, down from 10, and the movement penalty from being in Stealth has been removed.

Tricks of the Trade now has a 100-yard range, up from 20.

Combat

Improved Recuperate now adds 0.5%/1% to the health restoration effect of Recuperate, down from 1%/2%.

Subtlety

Nightstalker now reduces the cooldown of Stealth by 2/4 seconds, and instead of negating the movement penalty from Stealth, it adds a 5/10% movement speed bonus (stacking with other effects) while Stealthed.

Fire Nova has been redesigned and decoupled from shaman Fire totems. Instead, it now pulses that same area-of-effect from each target that is afflicted by the shaman's own Flame Shock debuff. It now damages all enemies except the target hit by Flame Shock. The ability's cooldown has been reduced from 4 seconds, down from 10.

Earthquake is no longer a channeled spell. It now has a 2-second cast time, lasts for 10 seconds, and has a 10-second cooldown. Its damage has been reduced by 40% from its channeled version.

Enhancement

Improved Fire Nova has been redesigned and replaced by a talent called Seasoned Winds. When an enemy spell cast is successfully prevented with Wind Shear or Grounding Totem, the shaman gains magical resistance (in an amount equal to what a protection totem/aura would grant, stacking with such buffs) to the spell school(s) of the interrupted spell (except for Holy spells), lasting 10 seconds.

Charge and Intercept no longer have diminishing returns on their stun effects.

Colossus Smash now ignores 70% of an opponent's armor, down from 100%.

Inner Rage is now available at level 56.

Intercept now has a 1.5-second stun, down from 3 seconds.

Overpower damage has been increased to 140% weapon damage, up from 125%.

Rallying Cry (new ability) is available from trainers at level 83. It temporarily grants the warrior and all party or raid members within 30 yards 20% of maximum health for 10 seconds. After the effect expires, the health is lost. It has no cost, no stance requirements, and is not on the global cooldown. It has a 3-minute cooldown, but also shares a cooldown with Last Stand.

Whirlwind now has its cooldown reduced by 6 seconds when it deals damage to 4 or more targets. The Whirlwind effect caused by Bladestorm remains unchanged.

Arms

Improved Hamstring now reduces the global cooldown on Hamstring by 0.5/1 seconds in addition to its current effects.

Mortal Strike damage has been increased to 175% weapon damage, up from 150%.

Dungeons & Raids

New dungeons available for partial testing.

Zul'Aman has returned as a level-85 5-player Heroic dungeon featuring a revamp of the original dungeon and improved loot!

Zul'Gurub has returned as a level-85 5-player Heroic dungeon featuring all-new encounters, achievements, and improved loot!

Both dungeons will be in a new Dungeon Finder difficulty tier above the current level-85 Heroic dungeons and offer epic-quality item level 353 loot.

These dungeons may only partially be available for testing at this time. Stay tuned for additional updates.

Blackwing Descent

Flash Bomb (Golem Sentry ability) now has a more clear warning visual.

Magmaw now triggers a raid emote when summoning Lava Parasites.

Further improvements have been made in the Maloriak encounter to avoid Flash Freeze targeting the tanks.

Guilds

The Guild Perk, Cash Flow, no longer prints out text to the Chat Log. Instead, the daily amount deposited is shown in the Guild Vault Money Log. In addition, players can view the weekly contribution in a new window at the bottom of the Money Log.

We have added two new custom guild tabards as Guild Rewards. The tabards are account bound and offer a bonus to gaining guild reputation.

Items

The PvP Horde and Alliance trinkets have a new spell effect.

Professions

All major cities will now have every type of profession trainer and their associated trade supply vendors.

PvPBattlegrounds

Twin Peaks

Graveyard Changes

Players will now only spawn at their base graveyard when they die in the enemy base.

Defending players will respawn at the middle graveyard.

Midfield players will respawn at the middle graveyard.

Attacking players will respawn at their base graveyard.

Races

The gnomish racial ability, Escape Artist, is no longer affected by the global cooldowns triggered by other abilities.

The human racial ability, Every Man for Himself, has a new spell effect.

User Interface

Work has begun on a new Looking for Guild system. Further details will be provided when we are ready for feedback.

Spells bound to a key now start to be cast when the button is pressed down by default, instead of waiting for the key to go up. This is an option that can be turned off in the Interface menu under Combat. Mouse clicking has not changed and operates on mouse click up.

Zul'aman and Zul'gurub are back!
Tons of changes indicate that Zul'aman and Zul'gurub are back as 5-man instances! I couldn't find anything about the Abyssal Maw dungeon mentioned briefly during Blizzcon for the moment, but Firelands seems there too.

Tracking statistics have been added for all Cataclysm encounters. (Mostly used by addons)

Spell changesImportant - I am currently experimenting with new diffs, among other things we now have automated diffs and dual tooltips for all the changes. Regular recap posts will be available within the hour, it's just a faster way to get the information to you!

IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT A CHANGE, JUST PUT YOUR MOUSE ON THE SPELL LINK AND CHECK THE SHINY MAGIC TOOLTIP

Blacksmithing: Elementium Earthguard now gives +170 Strength, down from 190. now gives 117 Mastery Rating, down from 127. now gives 117 Hit Rating, down from 127. Now has a Blue Socket (Socket Bonus: +15 Stamina)

Blacksmithing: Elementium Stormshield now gives +170 Intellect, down from 190. Now gives +122 Spirit, down from 127. Now gives 112 Haste Rating, down from 127. Now has a Red Socket (Socket Bonus: +10 Intellect)

Leatherworking: Assassin's Chestplate now gives +321 Agility, down from 341. Now gives 173 Hit Rating, down from 183. Now gives 243 Critical Strike rating, down from 253. Now has a Red Socket (Socket Bonus: +10 Agility)

Leatherworking: Belt of Nefarious Whispers now gives +233 Agility, down from 253. Now gives 174 Hit Rating, down from 184. Now gives 134 Mastery Rating, down from 144. Now has a Red Socket (Socket Bonus: +10 Agility)

Leatherworking: Corded Viper Belt now gives +233 Agility, down from 253. Now gives 159 Critical Strike rating, down from 169. Now gives 159 Mastery rating, down from 169. Now has a Red Socket (Socket Bonus: +10 Agility)

Leatherworking: Dragonkiller Tunic now gives +231 Agility, down from 341. Now gives 249 Haste rating, down from 259. Now gives 163 Mastery rating, down from 173. Now has a Red Socket (Socket Bonus: +10 Agility)

Earthquake base damage has been reduced by 40%. The spell is no longer channeled and has a 2.5 sec cast time, a 10 sec cooldown, and now lasts 10 sec instead of 8 sec.

Fire Nova now has a 40 yards range, up from 30 yards. Cooldown reduced from 10 sec to 4 sec. Now Ignites your Flame Shock spell on any nearby enemies, causing each of them to emit a wave of flames that deals 647 to 724 Fire damage to every other enemy within 10 yards.

Improved Fire Nova has been replaced with Seasoned Winds - When you successfully prevent an enemy spellcast with Wind Shear or Grounding Totem, you gain [if (PL<=70) then PL else if (PL<=80) then PL+(PL-70)*5 else PL+(PL-70)*5+(PL-80)*7] resistance to that spell's magical school for 10 sec. (PL = Player Level, and if you're wondering, that's basically the same resist aura as any other spell)

Restoration

Purification now increases the effectiveness of healing spells by 25%, up from 10%.

Whirlwind now has its cooldown reduced by 6 sec. if it deals damage to 4 or more targets.

Arms

Rallying Cry *New* (Level 83) - Temporarily grants you and all party or raid members within 30 yards 20% of maximum health for 10 sec. After the effect expires, the health is lost. 3 min cooldown, Instant